


You Don’t Have to Go Alone

by cminerva



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, a hint of philinda if you like, mama may
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 11:11:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20007352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cminerva/pseuds/cminerva
Summary: Daisy needs someone to be there for her when she’s afraid. She’s not the only one.





	You Don’t Have to Go Alone

“Great news, team,” Phil announced, smiling at the agents assembled in front of him. “Our latest recruits are joining us fresh out of the medical corps. Which means physicals and dental checkups for everyone!”

The response to his announcement was less than enthusiastic but the agents were given their preassigned appointment times, enthusiasm or no. 

Later that morning, Daisy found Melinda in the Playground’s hangar, inspecting some new equipment.

“Hey, how mandatory are these dental hygiene checkups exactly?” Daisy asked as she approached, her voice aiming for nonchalant.

Melinda spared her half a raised eyebrow then turned back to her work.

“Pretty mandatory.”

“I mean how important could they be? I guess if you’re trying to _bite_ an 0-8-4…”

“Daisy, what do you want?”

Daisy stopped and stared at Melinda, twisting her fingers together and looking more like a scared child than an agent with superhuman abilities.

“I didn’t exactly grow up with regular checkups and health insurance.”

“All the more reason to see the SHIELD dentist then.”

“Yeah, but the last time a foster parent took me to get a checkup the dentist shamed me for having so many messed up teeth.” Daisy knew she sounded weak, but she figured it was worth telling May the truth if there was a chance she could get out of this.

Melinda stared at her for a moment.

“You think that will happen here? You think a SHIELD dentist is going to shame you for having a few cavities?”

Daisy looked down at her feet.

“Well, maybe? I dunno. I just feel kinda...nauseous at the thought of having to go. My appointment is set for this afternoon at three and I was just hoping there was some way to skip it this time or-”

As Daisy’s ramblings begin to spiral, Melinda stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

“You can’t skip this just because you’re scared.”

Daisy’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at her SO, but she nodded.

“But you don’t have to go alone,” Melinda continued. She ignored Daisy’s surprised look and pushed the younger agent away from her workspace. “I’ll meet you there at three o’clock.”

The first stage of the appointment went more smoothly than Daisy had anticipated. The SHIELD dental team was too overwhelmed by their long list of new patients to say more than a few words to Daisy and were too intimidated by the presence of Agent Melinda Melinda to say more than was necessary to communicate between one another. Director Coulson had encouraged them to resolve any concerns within the first visit if possible, so after the cleaning Daisy was asked to stay so they could take care of a few fillings. At this request the young agent looked to Melinda with panic in her eyes.

“Give us the room for a few minutes,” Melinda ordered, and the dentist and her team immediately cleared the room. Melinda had been leaning against the wall since the appointment started but once the door closed behind the last hygienist, she moved to a stool next to Daisy and regarded her for a moment before she spoke.

“You know, I grew up with the best doctors and saw a dentist regularly. I never had any reason to be afraid of them because I had adults in my life who made sure I was taken care of and that I stayed healthy.” 

Daisy tried to figure out where Melinda was going with this; pointing out the stark differences between their upbringings was hardly comforting. When Melinda continued, her voice took on a slightly softer tone that made Daisy feel like she was being included in something very private.

“That sense of security went away when I became an agent. After being in situations where I was tied up, immobilized and unable to help myself or others, I was no longer comfortable with more than the most minor first aid from people I trusted and I certainly couldn’t handle being laid out on a chair with God knows what kind of equipment poking and prodding inside my mouth.”

She stopped speaking and exhaled slowly. Daisy’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly as she realized that Melinda was being open, being vulnerable, just to help _her_.

“It scares you,” she said softly, staring at Melinda in awe.

“It terrifies me,” Melinda replied simply.

“How do you get through it?” Daisy asked.

“Deep, focused breathing,” Melinda replied. She allowed herself a brief, small smile then continued. “And a partner who never let me go in to the dentist’s office alone.”

Daisy reflected on that a minute then smiled.

“Like you’re doing for me,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

The dentist tapped on the window and waited for a signal to return. Melinda turned to Daisy.

“You gonna be okay?”

Daisy nodded and Melinda waved the dentist back into the room. As the dentist and her team settled into their stations, Daisy’s hand shot out and grabbed Melinda’s. The older woman froze, then briefly squeezed Daisy’s hand and held tight until it was time to leave.

When Melinda arrived at the medical wing for her appointment the following day, Phil was waiting for her in the hall, just as she knew he would be. The tight clutch of anxiety she carried in her chest eased slightly as she drew closer.

“Ready?” Phil asked, an easy smile on his face.

Melinda’s response was interrupted by a breathless Daisy who rounded the corner and nearly ran into Phil in her haste.

“Whew, just made it!” She told them happily, still working to catch her breath.

Phil glanced at Melinda with a raised eyebrow and she replied with a slight tilt of her head and the barest lift of one shoulder. She didn’t need words to reply to his nonverbal question: the gentleness of her movements told him everything he needed to know about how safe Melinda felt in her current company.

“Should we head in then?” He asked the two women.

Daisy bumped her shoulder against Melinda’s and grinned at the Director.

“May was there with me yesterday when I was being a big baby about the whole thing,” she told him brightly. “I’m here to return the favor. Not that she’s being a baby or anything, I’m just gonna keep her company since she did that for me. So I think we got this, right May?”

Melinda rolled her eyes at Daisy’s ramblings but gestured for Phil to go. He paused for a moment then smiled fondly at them both.

“Alright, I’ll see you later then,” he said, then set off in the direction of his office.

Melinda glanced after him briefly then inhaled deeply and moved towards the door. Daisy got there first.

“Don’t worry,” Daisy told her, pulling the door open. “I got your back.”

Melinda regarded the younger agent for a moment; Daisy was practically buzzing with her eagerness to do this for her. The tightness in her chest eased just a bit more.

“All right,” she said, watching as Daisy’s face lit up in another bright smile. “Let’s do this.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was trying to channel my inner May to calm myself during my most recent dentist appointment when it occurred to me that May probably hates the dentist because she would feel trapped and powerless. I feel like Daisy would probably have anxiety surrounding the dentist, just for different reasons, and the two women could be there for each other in facing this fear. Plus I can never have enough Mama May!


End file.
